


love to death

by FancifulRivers



Series: white like an oleander [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: An excellent question, Angst with a Happy Ending, Body Horror, Earth adventures, Episode: s05e25 Legs From Here To Homeworld, For another story, Gen, Horror, How did they get back?, I took a certain theory and ran with it, Someone save this Pearl, White Pearl is rescued, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 09:07:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15409653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FancifulRivers/pseuds/FancifulRivers
Summary: They've returned to Earth.And they brought someone with them.





	love to death

"I think she might be too far gone," Yellow Pearl says doubtfully, peering into White Pearl's one working eye. Throughout the journey back, the other Pearls have been working on her with you (with their Diamonds' assistance- you are still shocked by this, but apparently, Steven is more persuasive than you previously imagined). She is able to move her arms again, and she can walk- although it is clumsy and accomplished only in short, faltering steps.

But you can't reach her  _mind_ and if you can't do that, how can she be herself again? You've never seen a pearl pushed beyond the breaking point like this. Blue Diamond and Yellow Diamond haven't either. They admitted it to Steven reluctantly- Blue Diamond even teared up and while you know she tears up at everything, the fact that she is crying over a  _pearl_ shocks you to your core.

Earth- perhaps Earth will help. You can tell the Diamonds hate returning to this planet, but you also know that Steven will never leave it (you will never leave it, Rose Quartz was born for love of this planet and despite your shattered vow of secrecy, you will not leave your Diamond's home). White Pearl shudders once when you enter the atmosphere. It is not hard to bundle her off the ship, to let the toes of her white ballet shoes sink into the beach sand. She makes a noise, aborted in the rusty depths of her throat. It reminds you uneasily of the corruption song. You again exchange uneasy looks with your fellow pearls. You never thought you could bond with them again, but the state of White Pearl has you falling naturally into place with them. You had nearly forgotten. Yellow Pearl's bossiness, her nasally voice hiding her insecurities beneath her shoulder flounces. Blue Pearl's quiet lassitude, but when she spoke, you  _listened_. 

"We must keep trying," you say firmly, picking up the thread of the conversation again. Now that you have touched down on planet, the others have left you alone. Pearls to help a pearl, but you think you need more help. You can't reach her, not deep inside. It is like her gem has cracked clean in two, but you can see that it is whole.

"I don't know," Blue Pearl murmurs. She brushes a finger over White Pearl's gem and there is no reaction. Not even a quiver. "Something is wrong..."

"We can  _see_ that," Yellow Pearl snips but you've already turned away, seeking out Steven's presence on the beach. Thankfully, he is not far away, and you wave him over with quick, delicate gestures.

"What is it, Pearl?" He asks. The other pearls stiffen when he gets close- you know they still see him as Pink Diamond- but you pay them no mind.

"Could you-" You hesitate. "Can you heal her?"

He licks his palm (you hide your shiver of disgust) and places it lightly over the cracked side of her head.

The effect is galvanic.

White Pearl's head tilts back, impossibly far, as a high keening sound erupts from her throat. Startled, Steven tries to leap back, but he can't- you can see that it is like his hand is  _stuck_ to her eye- stuck  _in_ her eye-

Her gem, glimmering placidly in the middle of her navel, suddenly splinters into pieces, eddying away into the sand. White Pearl's body collapses and you rush to support her, although you know it is futile now. Horror crawls up your throat, horror you share with the other two pearls- you don't know what  _happened_ , you-

But she's not gone. Her gem is in pieces, so many you can't keep count, but her body is still there, thin and fragile beneath your fingertips, and Steven's hand is still encapsulated in light, and suddenly, with a loud, whooping gasp-

White Pearl sits up by herself.

Gem bright and whole in place of her left eye.

"Oh-" Your gasp of realization comes out as a low moan of horror. You sit abruptly in the sand, trembling legs unable to support you any more. Yellow Pearl looks like she might sick up and Blue Pearl's face is awash with tears.

"Pearl?" Steven asks in a thin, wavering voice. "What happened?"

"You- she will be all right now," you tell him. You hope it is not a lie. "Thank you."

"Pink," White Pearl whispers. Her voice is demonstrably there, demonstrably  _hers_ , and you want to weep in relief. "Thank..." She pauses, gasping for breath. Her fingers flex, reflexively smoothing out her skirts. "Thank you," she finishes.

"Go see Greg," you instruct him. He leaves obediently, casting anxious glances over his shoulder every few steps. This is a time for pearls. You can't stop touching her, quick, featherlight touches. Blue Pearl leans forward, face intent, and presses her thumb over the gem embedded in White Pearl's eye. This time, she shivers. Blue Pearl laughs in relief, sitting back on her heels.

"It has been so long," you say. It feels odd, yet strangely  _right_ , to be sitting here, on this beach, with these three pearls. The Diamonds' Pearls, though you no longer belong to one. (But you did once.)

"Thank you," White Pearl says.

You aren't sure who starts it, but by the end, all four of you are hugging, so tightly you're amazed you haven't fused.

Perhaps that's for the best, though.


End file.
